The Movement Team 2016-17 reflect on two bogrim at the core of the student movement.
This week the National Union of Students (NUS) gathered for their annual National Conference. Policy debates and elections, we’ll leave all that analysis to the journos, (shout out to Ed), as we want to share with you a few thoughts about why FZY should be immensely proud this week. Two of our Bogrim from ‘FZY families’ are at the absolute core of campus activism for Jewish students, and are making progressive and meaningful changes every day but most significantly, they are WINNING!
Let’s firstly look at the star of the week, Bogeret Izzy Lenga. An FZY girl through and through, here’s one to make uncle Paul schlep nachas! Izzy’s FZY journey started on Ofek 2008, she did Kesher 2009, sat on the Tzedaka Va’ad, Tour 2010, Hadracha 2011, led several camps thereafter, sat on the Mazkirut, and last summer she was Rakezet of Kesher! Since Izzy has returned from Year Course (2012-13), she took a lead in campus activism, and she’s not stopped campaigning for a variety of different causes, notably combating anti-Semitism. Izzy embodies the perfect Year Course graduate, a passionate advocate, with immense care for the wellbeing of others and always looking at how she can better the experiences for the Jewish community. This year, Izzy has won awards from UJIA and UJS recognising her outstanding work, and she was ranked #6 in the Jewish News ‘Thirty under 30’. But this week, her previous achievements were made to look tiny, as she was elected Vice President of NUS, a body representing 7,000,000 students! She ran an incredible campaign, and has made a clear statement that the right support will be given to every student who needs assistance – no one will be left behind. Izzy has said how very proud she is of the fact that FZY gave her the ability to develop her identity, and she is where she is today largely because of her FZY journey.
The second Boger we want to talk about is Josh Nagli. Josh’s FZY journey is similar to Izzy’s, it started on Ofek 2008, Kesher 2009, sat on the Tzedaka Va’ad, Tour 2010, and Hadracha 2011. Nowadays however, rather than spotting him around the FZY Bayit, you’ll see him being quoted in the news! Josh is one of the most modest and humble people we’ve ever known, and he will quietly and confidently go about his job to improve Jewish student experiences. In his role as Campaigns Director of UJS, he takes the needs of Jewish students and campaigns for them to the very highest level of student politics. At conference he supported Jewish students to help pass policy to tackle anti-Semitism. But conference is not just a 3 day thing, over the past few months Josh has been working hard to ensure Jewish students’ issues continue to remain on the national agenda. Josh received recognition for coming just outside of the ‘Thirty under 30’, although we all know he should be right up in the top 10, perhaps in his nomination they forgot to mention his role in steering FZY’s Got Talent 2009! Despite all of his successes, Josh tells us time and time again that he wished he did Year Course, so if you want to ensure you don’t make the same mistake as him, contact Emma Nagli (the proud big sister) at emman@fzy.org.il
Izzy and Josh, everyone at FZY are so proud of everything you’ve done and will continue to do which better represents Jewish needs and improves Jewish experiences. You’ve both come a long way since sitting on the Tzedaka Va’ad together and raising money for EBF (EBBM). May you both go from strength to strength.
Shkoyach!